Healthy babies need a healthy start.
In 2010, Father Dennis Dease found himself in the hallways of a Ugandan hospital astonished with what he saw — laboring women were delivering babies in hallways with no staff, no nurses, no proper supplies in sight. The women were there to be near an operating room in case they found themselves in need of an emergency C-section.
Uganda suffers from a scarcity of resources for healthcare, particularly for new mothers and their babies. This leads to Uganda having one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the world.
Dease returned home to Minnesota with a resolve to help. After three years of creating and managing smaller successful clinics, he created the Friends of East Africa Foundation (FOEA Foundation) to help fund the building of Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo in the Kampala area. Friends of East Africa Foundation’s focus is to improve healthcare and health education for the people of East Africa.
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Friends of East Africa Foundation opens Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo
March 21, 2013, marked the opening of Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo, as a general hospital, but with a focus on maternal and pediatric care. The hospital was built on what was once 4.5 acres of vacant land owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala. Today, ten buildings make up the hospital campus; seven are used for medical services and the three others are used for support services.
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The Helen Bisanz Outpatient Centre of Excellence – Outpatient Services
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The Ann Jostrom Centre for Labour and Delivery – Maternity and OR Services
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The Gary Holmes Centre – Medical and Administration Offices
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The Joseph and Mary Alice Dease Centre for Diagnostic Imaging
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The Haggerty Diagnostic and Recovery Centre – ICU, HDU, Dental Clinic,
and Consultation Rooms
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The MM Isolation Unit – Constructed during Covid
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The Lee and Penny Anderson Inpatient Centre of Excellence – Patient Rooms
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The Brian and Susan Mark Cafeteria – Cafeteria for Visitors and Staff
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The Susan Schwalbach Chapel and Residence – Chapel and Nurses’ Residence
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The Ruth Haggerty Residence – Residence for Security Guards
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In addition to the medical and support services buildings, the hospital campus also includes the John & Susan Morrison Gardens, a real estate endowment. It is a Residential Living Community consisting of three eight- and nine-unit apartment buildings: the Dennis and Megan Doyle Residence, the Thomas and Susan Bisanz Residence, and the Gary Holmes Residence.
Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo renamed the Gary Holmes Hospital Maganjo
After 10 years of growth and expansion, the Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo will be renamed the Gary Holmes Hospital Maganjo. Foremost among the general hospital’s array of services will be the Ruth Gaylord Institute for Maternal and Pediatric Care. This will continue to be our premier service and top priority.
Video from the 10th Anniversary and Name Change Celebration in Maganjo
Current services available at the Gary Holmes Hospital Maganjo
The Gary Holmes Hospital Maganjo provides a wide range of services for women and their families.
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Obstetrics and gynecology
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General surgery
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Immunizations: Polio, IPV, DPT, PCV, Measles, BCG and HPV, Hepatitis B and anti-rabies vaccines
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Ultrasound
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X-ray
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Lab services: Tests for clinical chemistry, hematology, micro-biology, parastology, serology and blood transfusion
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Dental services
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Optometric services
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Onsite pharmacy
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Ambulance services
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Mobile public health care ​
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Services Needed
The Gary Holmes Hospital Maganjo has a growing number of services available, but there is still a need for:
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Full-time pediatricians
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Full-time obstetrics and gynecology
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Orthopedic specialists
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Emergency physicians
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Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialists​